Wine around the world

Chuck's brother was visiting this weekend, and we had a full slate of San Diego fun planned out. First among them, wine-tasting in Temecula. After a quick stop at Influx for a perfectly flaky croissant (with tomato and basil and brie, yum!), we headed up the 15 to Wine Country.

Our first stop of the trip was Thornton Winery, unique among Temecula wineries for their variety of champagnes. The tasting setup at Thornton is a little bit different from most Temecula wineries- they have table service in the "Champagne Lounge", where you can order pre-selected flights of wines or choose your own set of tastes at individual prices. We sat on the outdoor patio, which was well-shaded and had little white wisps of fuzz floating around from some of the plants - it was all very elegant and relaxing. Chuck ordered the Champagne Tasting, I tried the Reserve, and Chuck's brother had the Red. I don't think I disliked any of the wines that we tried there, but it was the champagnes that really stood out. I often like the idea of champagne better than the actual experience of it, but Thorton's Brut Reserve pulls off the concept of a dry, drinkable champagne incredibly well. It has none of the harsh yeasty notes that can make champagne taste bitter to me - this was probably my favorite wine of the day. We bought bottles of three of the champagnes from Thornton - the Brut Reserve, Cuvee Rouge (the strikingly colored red champagne in the picture), and Cuvee de Frontignan, a lightly sweet champagne.

The other wineries we visited were Callaway, where we have a wine club membership, and they make consistently good wines in many varieties. I used to be quite fond of their un-oaked chardonnay and am hoping for another release of it, but will happily sample their other selections until then. We also stopped at Stuart Cellars, where we started to run into the afternoon crowds (and an out-of-control bachelorette party!). The wines that we sampled at Stuart were a little more uneven (i can't remember the ones I wasn't as fond of), but their Zinfandel was really good, with full fruit flavor and a smooth finish, and we picked up a bottle of White Merlot as well.

All in all, a successful trip. Our wine rack at home is full again, so we need to start cooking some wine- friendly dinners!

At the southern tip of Africa, where two mighty oceans meet in the shadow of landmark Table Mountain, lies the finest Cape in the world. Known locally as the Mother City, Cape Town is the gateway to the South Africa wine lands and one of the great wine capitols of the world. Here the cultures of Africa, Europe and the East have met and mingled for over 350 year’s, shaping a city both ancient, rich in colorful history and culturally diverse. Archbishop Tutu described the new South African nation as “the rainbow people of God”, and the “rainbow nation” was born.

The Cape wine-growing areas, situated in the narrow viticulture zone of the southern hemisphere, have a mainly Mediterranean climate with the mountain slopes and valleys ideal for wine grapes. Long, sun-drenched summers give the grapes enough sugar and wet winters with cool sea breezes, contributing to ideal conditions for grape growing. South Africa is 9th in international wine production with 3.1% (compared to France & Italy with around 20% each). The co-operatives which process grapes for their members press about 80% of the total wine harvest. But it is in the estate wineries, which make wine only from grapes grown on their own land and independent cellars, which make wine for bottling under their own brand names that are the future for the wine industry.

Vineyards were first planted at the Cape in 1655. The arrival of French Huguenots (religious refugees) and their knowledge of wine making helped develop the industry. Other important dates include: 1861 when Phylloxera hit (insect that feeds on grape roots); 1918 with the creation of KWV (cooperative that regulated the industry as an umbrella body); 1925 saw the cross-pollination of Pinot Noir & Hermitage (Cinsaut) to create Pinotage. In 1935 the Stellenbosch farmers formed a cooperative- SFW that in 2001 merged with Distillers Corporation to form Distell, a top 10 liquor company in the world. 1971 saw the start of the Wine Route; 1975 the Nederburg Wine Auction began; 1999 the South African Industry Trust was formed and Wines of South Africa began to market the wines abroad. In 2000 the Cape Wine Show began.

In keeping with the spirit of renewal in the South African wine industry over 40% of the vineyards have been replanted to noble cultivars and quality wines. The industry had formerly been dominated by white grape varieties including: Chenin Blanc, also known as Steen, the most widely cultivated variety in the Cape, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Today, red wine vineyards (45% of the total) are mainly under 10 years old and include Cabernet Sauvignon (the most widely planted red varietals), Shiraz and Pinot Noir and Pinotage.

Viticulture in South Africa takes place in an area with a mild Mediterranean climate. The winegrowing areas are along the coast not far from the ocean. Rain falls mainly between May and August and frost is rarely a problem (don’t forget the seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere with harvest time February/March). There is a constant interaction between the Cape mountain ranges and valley slopes along with the proximity of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. Cooling breezes blow in from the seas during the day, fog and moisture laden breezes are prevalent at night. The three main soil types are Granite, Table Mountain Sandstone and Shale.

In 1973 the Wine of Origin System was introduced (similar to the AC system in France) using a series of regions, districts and estates. You may be familiar with Constantia, the source of the world famous dessert wines popular during the 19th Century. Also Paarl, about 30 miles from Cape Town and home to KWV and the venue for the world renowned Nederburg Auction. Stellenbosch, also about 30 miles from Cape Town, is the center of the premium wine-producing district and Stellenbosch University (18,000 students in a town of 85,000) has the only viticultural and oenological department in the country. This is where I spent two nights and served as the center point for all my winery visits. I stayed at the Life & Leisure Studio 3 which is one of 20 apartments scattered within the historical center of town (two blocks from the university) which have kitchenettes, a small pool, and all the luxury amenities of a boutique hotel without all the traffic. I only saw someone when they came to announce my breakfast was waiting out by the pool. At $90-$100 per night it was a bargain.

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Winery: Ramon Cardova

Year: 2001

Type: Red

Country: Spain (Rioja region)

Grape Variety: Tempranillo

Note:

Mevushal: No

Date Reviewed: 4/4/06

Color: 2 (of 3)

Note: A bright ruby red color that's inviting but not spectacular.

Aroma: 5.5 (of 7)

Note: Surprisingly oaky in scent. I like this style but many will find the oak aroma overwhelms the fruitiness they would expect from a Rioja.

Taste: 8.5 (of 10)

Note: Very nice oak, berry and smoke flavors. The slight smoke flavor seems to come from aging as this is not found in younger bottles.

Total: 16 (of 20)

Food: I enjoyed this with a roast lamb with plenty of garlic and rosemary. Very good combination! A lot of people will recommend a Rioja with lamb and I have to agree!

Source: http://www.kosherwineguy.com/r102.php

YAAAAY YAAAY YAA YAAAYYAYAYAYAYAAAAAAAAAAAAY
WE MAKE GOOD BLOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAAAA BLALAAA YAAAY!

quién puede entender lo que es vivir en un mundo donde nadie te entiende
donde los desafios de otros son la normalidad de uno
donde las drogas son el único medio temporal de escape (?)
¿qué pasa cuando uno hastiado de esta vida está condenado por orgullo a no poder escaparse?
ya lo dijo nietzche:

¿Puede darse un burro trágico? ¿Puede admitirse el caso de alguien que sucumbe bajo una carga que no puede llevar ni arrojar?… He aquí el caso del filósofo. (link)

¿soy un filosofo o simplemente alguien que nació en un tiempo equivocada? ¿quizás sea en un lugar equivocado? ¿o quizás sea en un universo equivocado? (link)

o quizás sea un castigo de la cuasi perfección (única perfección posible) (link)

puede alguien entender lo triste que es que todo te salga bien
lo deprimente que es no encontrar desafio en en la vida
que los adoradores sean un patético recuerdo de lo fácil que nos resulta levantarnos cada día y triunfar
que cuandos otros se enorgullezcan de nuestros logros a nosotros nos parezca lamentable que se sientan felices de esas pequeñeces (link)

quizás sea un problema de ego... quizás no (link)

quizás sea una visión diferente del mundo. no sé si correcta pero si distinta y que nos da facilidad para cosas que a otros les complica. que tremendo castigo que es haber sidos formados en una sociedad donde aquello que debe ser realizado para poder ser "feliz" sea aquello que nos resulte más simple.

existirá alguna posibilidad de juntarnos... ¿de poder encontrar gente que mida con la misma barra que yo? (link)

hasta hoy ese intento de encontrar pares se ha visto frustrado; de ahí este grito desesperado de ayuda.

esperando encontrar alguien que me comprenda me despido...

salu2

yo, robertito

pd (edit): otra letra +

Eran 5 hermanos que decían quiero ir a las estrellas.
Y los padres les decían que tal vez ellos irían
siempre que primero terminaran los deberes de la escuela.
El primero no quería nada de eso,
solo las estrellas.
Y las vio bien grandes cuando el padre
(atiendan el detalle) lo agarró a patadas
y lo echó derecho viejo pa' la calle.
El segundo se fue para hollywood a trabajar de mozo,
en un bar donde comían
siempre muchas de las grandes estrellas de cine,
como Linda Blair y como Charles Bronson.
El tercero se hizo comisario y le pusieron una estrella,
reluciente en la solapa de su clásica chaqueta.
Y con el tiempo se olvido de las estrellas y de los planetas.
El cuarto de los hermanos estudio para ser arquitecto.
Y gracias a tres botellas, consiguió salir electo.
En la licitación para el proyecto
de un hotel de 5 estrellas.
El menor el quinto era distinto,
no quería, no podía,
no sabia conformarse con estrellas de mentira
y hoy acaba de mandar una postal desde las tres Marías.
Eran cinco hermanos que decían quiero ir a las estrellas...

estrellas, attaque 77

pd2: click!

That's what Bart Simpson told his family in "Homer v. the Eighteenth Amendment." "I'll go with you!" said Homer. Marge put a stop to it, and that was that—except, of course, that Bart's drinking started a temperance campaign that led to prohibition. As the episode illustrates, things get complicated when the government gets involved.

That's perhaps the moral of this story of a University of Michigan professor who takes his son to a Tigers game and buys him a lemonade—which, unknown to him, was hard lemonade. After a trip to the hospital, a couple of days in foster care, and a week during which dad was banned from his own house, things are back to normal.

That led me to wonder what the law is in my state about parents giving their own minor children alcohol. Here it is. Most states are not so lenient.

106.04 – Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor

(a–b) A minor commits an offense if they consume alcohol unless they are in the visible presence of, and have the consent of their adult parent, legal guardian, or spouse.

§ 106.05 Possession of Alcohol by a Minor

(a) A minor commits an offense if they posses an alcoholic beverage.

(b) A minor may possess an alcoholic beverage:
• while in the course and scope of the minor’s employment if the minor is an employee of a licensee or permitted and the employment is not prohibited by this code
• if the minor is in the visible presence of his adult parent, guardian, or spouse, or other adult to whom the minor has been committed by a court
• if the minor is under the immediate supervision of a commissioned peace officer engaged in enforcing the provisions of this code.

Wine has been a popular drink to serve with meals for centuries but many people get confused as to which wine goes best with what type of meal. To make matters worse, there’s more to wine than just red and white, there are many different varieties of wine to choose from as well. Here’s a guide to some of the most widely available wines, their flavor and what types of meals they go best with.

Sauvignon Blanc

This popular white wine has an herbal, sometimes peppery aroma. When compared to Chardonnay you might find this to be a bit more acidic. It goes great with any type of seafood dish.

Semillon

This wine has a rich golden color and gives off an aroma of lemons and figs. Due to it’s low level of acidity, it is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. While most white wines do not age gracefully, Semillon is one of the few that ages rather well. Semillon is a perfect match for cheese and should be added to the list for your next any wine and cheese party.

Riesling

Another wine that has low acidity it can be paired with a variety of foods. It has the aroma of mineral stone, tropical fruits and flowers and makes a good match with white fish and pork as well as Chinese cuisine.

Chardonnay

This is the king of white wines and a popular dinner beverage. With it’s smoky or vanilla aroma it goes well with both white meat and fish.

Pouilly-Fuissé

This French white wine is a medium full bodied wine. It is a dry wine with a pale golden color and a fruity or floral aroma that hints at hazelnuts and honey. If you plan to serve Pouilly-Fuissé, make sure you serve it at 55 degrees Fahrenheit and pair it with turkey, pork, poultry, fish in a sauce, smoked fish or creamy cheese.

Frascati

This wine is said to have been favored by the ancient Romans and according to rumor was the favorite wine of Pope Gregorio XVI. This pale yellow wine is crisp, dry and fresh. Best served cold it goes well with light dishes including seafood and poultry as well as soups.

Silvaner

This wine which originates in Austria has a very slight fruity taste and low acidity. It goes best with mild non-spicy dishes.

Pedro Ximénez

This syrupy desert wine hails from Spain and has a very strong taste reminiscent of molasses and raisins. This wine goes good with coffee and is often used poured right over vanilla ice cream.

Cabernet Sauvignon

This is one of the most popular red wines and goes great with fish such as salmon and trout as well as sauce free meats.

Merlot

Another popular red wine, Merlot has a high alcohol content and full body. It can have 3 flavors - an herbish plumb flavor, a currant and cherry flavor and a chocolate and cherry flavor. This dark colored wine goes great with game meats, pate and even casseroles.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is an exceptionally flavored wine with a high alcohol content and medium to high acidity. It has the aroma of wilted roses with a hint of cola. It is a challenging wine to make and may cost a bit more but the flavor is worth the expense. Pinot Noir goes well with rabbit, chicken, ham, steak, boeuf bourguignon, and coq au vin.

Zinfandel

Has a fruity taste and lush texture that makes it popular among many Americans. It tastes of red berries and bramble and goes well with pizza and burgers or any meals with a red sauce such as pasta. For best taste, serve Zinfandel at 65 degrees.

Chianti

This Italian red wine has a bold taste that goes with almost any dish especially tomato rich dishes like braised rabbit as well as nature cheeses. Chianti has a bright red color and the aroma of violets.

So there you have it - a list of common wines and their best pairings. The next time you serve an important dinner, you’ll be sure to have the right wine for the meal.

Wine has been a popular drink to serve with meals for centuries but many people get confused as to which wine goes best with what type of meal. To make matters worse, there’s more to wine than just red and white, there are many different varieties of wine to choose from as well. Here’s a guide to some of the most widely available wines, their flavor and what types of meals they go best with.

Sauvignon Blanc

This popular white wine has an herbal, sometimes peppery aroma. When compared to Chardonnay you might find this to be a bit more acidic. It goes great with any type of seafood dish.

Semillon

This wine has a rich golden color and gives off an aroma of lemons and figs. Due to it’s low level of acidity, it is often blended with Sauvignon Blanc. While most white wines do not age gracefully, Semillon is one of the few that ages rather well. Semillon is a perfect match for cheese and should be added to the list for your next any wine and cheese party.

Riesling

Another wine that has low acidity it can be paired with a variety of foods. It has the aroma of mineral stone, tropical fruits and flowers and makes a good match with white fish and pork as well as Chinese cuisine.

Chardonnay

This is the king of white wines and a popular dinner beverage. With it’s smoky or vanilla aroma it goes well with both white meat and fish.

Pouilly-Fuissé

This French white wine is a medium full bodied wine. It is a dry wine with a pale golden color and a fruity or floral aroma that hints at hazelnuts and honey. If you plan to serve Pouilly-Fuissé, make sure you serve it at 55 degrees Fahrenheit and pair it with turkey, pork, poultry, fish in a sauce, smoked fish or creamy cheese.

Frascati

This wine is said to have been favored by the ancient Romans and according to rumor was the favorite wine of Pope Gregorio XVI. This pale yellow wine is crisp, dry and fresh. Best served cold it goes well with light dishes including seafood and poultry as well as soups.

Silvaner

This wine which originates in Austria has a very slight fruity taste and low acidity. It goes best with mild non-spicy dishes.

Pedro Ximénez

This syrupy desert wine hails from Spain and has a very strong taste reminiscent of molasses and raisins. This wine goes good with coffee and is often used poured right over vanilla ice cream.

Cabernet Sauvignon

This is one of the most popular red wines and goes great with fish such as salmon and trout as well as sauce free meats.

Merlot

Another popular red wine, Merlot has a high alcohol content and full body. It can have 3 flavors - an herbish plumb flavor, a currant and cherry flavor and a chocolate and cherry flavor. This dark colored wine goes great with game meats, pate and even casseroles.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is an exceptionally flavored wine with a high alcohol content and medium to high acidity. It has the aroma of wilted roses with a hint of cola. It is a challenging wine to make and may cost a bit more but the flavor is worth the expense. Pinot Noir goes well with rabbit, chicken, ham, steak, boeuf bourguignon, and coq au vin.

Zinfandel

Has a fruity taste and lush texture that makes it popular among many Americans. It tastes of red berries and bramble and goes well with pizza and burgers or any meals with a red sauce such as pasta. For best taste, serve Zinfandel at 65 degrees.

Chianti

This Italian red wine has a bold taste that goes with almost any dish especially tomato rich dishes like braised rabbit as well as nature cheeses. Chianti has a bright red color and the aroma of violets.

So there you have it - a list of common wines and their best pairings. The next time you serve an important dinner, you’ll be sure to have the right wine for the meal.

Article Source: http://www.redsofts.com/articles/

I took some portraits for a recent production of Adam Rapp's "Stone Cold Dead Serious" directed by Taylor Gozia. If you missed its showing here at UCM, you can still catch it at Skinless Productions Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri May 16, 17, and 18.

To see a slide show of the images click...HERE.

Further evidence of an association between adolescent bipolar disorder with smoking and substance use disorders: A controlled study, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, Volume 95, Issue 3, Pages 187-288 (1 June 2008)

Abstract:  Although previous work suggests that juvenile onset bipolar disorder increases risk for substance use disorders and cigarette smoking, the literature on the subject is limited. We evaluated the association of risk for substance use disorders and cigarette smoking with bipolar disorder in adolescents in a case–control study of adolescents with bipolar disorder (n = 105, age 13.6 ± 2.5 years [mean]; 70% male) and without bipolar disorder (“controls”; n = 98, age 13.7 ± 2.1 years; 60% male). Rates of substance use and other disorders were assessed with structured interviews (KSADS-E for subjects younger than 18, SCID for 18-year-old subjects). Bipolar disorder was associated with a significant age-adjusted risk for any substance use disorder (hazard ratio[95% confidence interval] = 8.68[3.02 25.0], χ² = 16.06, p < 0.001, df = 1), alcohol abuse (7.66 [2.20 26.7], χ² = 10.2, p = 0.001, df = 1), drug abuse (18.5 [2.46 139.10], χ² = 8.03, p = 0.005, df = 1) and dependence (12.1 [1.54 95.50], χ² = 5.61, p = 0.02, df = 1), and cigarette smoking (12.3 [2.83 53.69], χ² = 11.2, p < 0.001, df = 1), independently of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, multiple anxiety, and conduct disorder (CD). The primary predictor of substance use disorders in bipolar youth was older age (BPD − SUD versus BPD + SUD, logistic regression: χ² = 89.37, p < 0.001). Adolescent bipolar disorder is a significant risk factor for substance use disorders and cigarette smoking, independent of psychiatric comorbidity. Clinicians should carefully screen adolescents with bipolar disorder for substance and cigarette use.

For the full-text of this article please email: susan.jennings@lancashirecare.nhs.uk